Method for dispensing lachrymatory material

ABSTRACT

A method for disseminating lachrymatory material to prevent premature dissemination by an apparatus having a safety means and for controlling the dissemination stream by a variable spray nozzle means.

United States Patent 1191 Kozub 14 1 July 10, 1973 [54] METHOD FOR DISPENSING [56] References Cited LACHRYMATORY MATERIAL UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] inventor: Joseph Kozub, Abingdon, Md. 3,445,046 5/1969 Wilson 239/337 X ,6 l 4 m1 Assignee: The United States of Amer-w as 3131112; 311323 E232! 3 2 33/ 5; represenled Py Secretary the 3,429,483 2/1969 Micallef 222/402.11 x Navy, Washmgton, D.C. 3,584,789 6/1971 Traynor 239 573 x [22] Filed: Mar. 1, 1971 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. PP N05 1201032 Assistant Examiner.lohn .I. Love Related US. Application Data Attorney-Edward J Kelly [62] Division of Ser. No. 863,170, Oct. 2, 1969, Pat. No.

3,593,926. [57] ABSTRACT A method for disseminating lachrymatory material to [52] US. Cl 239/1 prevent premature dissamination by an apparatus [5 l 111. CI B05!) 1 l/00 ing a safety means and for contromng the dissemination [58] F1eld of Search 239/337, 573, 579; Stream by a variable Spray nozzle means ZZZ/402.11

3 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures 1 1 1 I /0 2 a 39 l6 1 1 l2 1 3 4O 1 F 8 METHOD FOR DISPENSING LACIIRYMATORY- MATERIAL This application is a divisional application of my pending US. Patent application Ser. No. 863,170 filed Oct. 2, 1969, now Pat. No. 3,593,926.

DEDICATORY CLAUSE The invention described herein may be manufac tured, used, and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes with the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to a method for disseminating lachrymatory material for temporary personnel incapacitation and riot control.

For a number of years, CS has been utilized as a chemical warfare lachrymatory agent, because it produces the desirable, effective, nonlethal, and incapacitating physiological effect required of chemical warfare agents. CS is the code designation for the chemical compound orthochlorobenzylidene malononitrile and named after the two American chemists, B. B. Corson and R. W. Stoughton, who reported the compound preparation in 1928. More recently, conventional aerosol spray cans, such as utilized for dispensing shaving cream, etc., have been filled with CS and utilized for riot control purposes. However, with the utilization of the aerosol spray cans, a problem developed in that the valve actuator on occasion was accidentally actuated while the dispenser was in storage or when there was no need to dispense the CS content. My invention was conceived and reduced to practice to overcome the problem in the art of accidental actuation of the dispenser valve and the resulting accidental dispensing of CS.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a method for dispensing CS whereby CS cannot be accidentally discharged.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method for dispensing CS whereby CS cannot be accidentally discharged and which is simple and economical.

A further object of my invention is to provide a method for dispensing for CS whereby CS cannot be accidentally discharged, is simple and economical, and disseminates the CS in a pattern which varies from a steady stream to various angles of spray as desired.

Other objects of my invention will be obvious or will appear from the specification hereinafter set forth.

FIG. 1 is a view of a dispenser for use with my method, the dispenser being shown with a safety means being moved from the safe to the discharge position.

FIG. 2 is a view of a dispenser for use with my method, the dispenser being shown with a safety means in the discharge position.

FIG. 3 is a view of a dispenser for use with my method, the dispenser being shown with a safety means in the safe position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a dispenser head for use with my invention, the dispenser head being shown with a safety means in the safe position in relation to the valve actuator means.

FIG. 5 is a view of a dispenser for use with my method, the dispenser being shown in a sling on a users belt with the safety means in the safe position.

FIG. 6 is a view of a dispenser head for use with my method, the dispenser head being shown with a discharge nozzle.

FIG. 7 is a view of the safety means for use with my method.

FIG. 8 is a view of another dispenser embodiment with a variable spray nozzle means for use with my method.

FIG. 9 is a view of the operation of a variable spray nozzle means for use with my method.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a dispenser head using a variable spray nozzle means and a safety means in the safe position for use with my method.

FIG. 11 is a front view of a variable spray nozzle means for use with a method.

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a variable spray nozzle means for use with my method.

FIG. 13 is a view of a dispenser head showing an actuating means for piston control variable spray nozzle means for use with my method.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a dispenser head showing a piston control variable spray nozzle means embodiment for use with my method.

FIG. 15 is a view of the actuating means shown in FIG. 13 attached to the piston means for the piston control variable spray nozzle means embodiment for use with my method.

My invention and FIGS. 1 to 15 will now be described in detail as follows.

My invention deals with the process of dispensing pressurized fluids such as lachrymatory material from aerosol type containers. In my process, I have overcome the problem of accidentally discharging the contents by providing a strip shaped safety means 1. So also, in my process of dispensing, I have provided fluid control means in the form of nozzle 12 shown in FIG. 4, fluid control means in the form of nozzle 17 shown in FIGS. 10 and 12, and fluid control means in the form of piston 28 and lever means 29 shown in FIGS. 13-15.

More particularly, my method of safely dispensing fluids is set out below.

Container or dispenser 4 shown in FIGS. 4, l2, and 14, has a tubular depressible valve 36 located on the top thereof within the confines of a dispensing head attaching area 37. A dispensing head 39 is provided comprising a tubular housing 38, a substantially solid cylinder depress plate 2 relatively moveable therein, fluid control means such as nozzles 12 or 17 or piston-lever assembly 28 and 29, and strip shaped safety means 1. Tubular housing 38 is provided with a nozzle access port 40, two diametrically opposed notches 7 located on one end thereof and a safety means 1 engaging slot or recess 9. Mounted for relative axial movement in housing 38 is depress plate 2 which is constructed to define a fluid passage 41 through which fluid can pass to the atmosphere. At the end of passage 41 recess 16, as depicted in FIG. 4, is provided to receive fluid control nozzle 12, for example. On the hand engageable surface of depress plate 2 is located slideable element 1 which is affixed to same by means of screw 11. Slot 10 in strip shaped safety means 1 provides movement for same so that both ends of element 1 either lock depress plate 2 from relative moement within housing 38 or release it to enable actuation of valve 36.

After providing the structure of the dispenser head 30, it is attached at the attaching area 37. Various fluid control means such as nozzles 12 and 17 can be provided by forcing the nozzle through access port 40 into depress plate 2 at 40 into depress plate 2 at fluid control attachment means recess 16 for example. By virtue of the shape of access port 40, as shown in FIG. 6, it evidently is that either nozzle assembly serves a dual function; i.e., it controls the fluid flow pattern and also serves to control the possible relative movement of depress plate 2 within housing 38. Once the dispensing head 39 is attached to container 4, to dispense fluid, safety means 1 is moved so that the ends of same are out of notch 7 and recess 9 then plate 2 is pressed to open the valve. To control the flow manually, when either nozzle 17 or piston means 28 are used, the levers 19 or 29 are adjusted by the operator.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, safety means 1 is utilized to prevent accidental depressing of depress plate 2 which would in turn depress the valve actuating means 3 and cause premature dispensing of the CS content of the dispenser 4. To maintain dispenser 4 in a safe, non-discharge state, safety means 1 is pushed forward by pressure of thumb 5 on switch means 6 until the forward end of the safety means rests within notch 7, shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 in particular, and aft end 8 rests within recess 9, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in particular. Safety means 1 is slidably mounted to move into and out of notch 7 by means of hole 10 tightly engaging screw 11; screw 11 being fixedly mounted within depress plate 2. To discharge the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, safety means 1 is moved to the rear by thumb action, as described above, until the front end of the safety means is out of notch 7, aft end 8 is removed from recess 9, and screw 11 contacts the front end of hole 10; and depress plate 2 is depressed by thumb 5 which causes activating means 3 to be depressed and actuate the aerosol valve, in the conventional manner, to cause a spray of CS to be discharged from nozzle 12 to be dispersed in the atmosphere. Dispenser 4 is carried on the person within container means 13 suspended from a belt 14 around the persons waist; belt 14 being inserted through hanger means 15 fixedly mounted in any conventional manner, such as sewing, etc. Container 13 can be made of any desirable and suitable material such as plastic, fabric, light metal, etc. Gloves should be worn by a person dischargingdispenser 4 to avoid skin irritation by the discharged CS spray. Dispenser 4 can be made of any suitable and desirable material, such as aluminum, and it is filled with a solution of CS pressurized with dry nitrogen gas to a pressure of 140 pounds per square inch gauge pressure at 75F. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 12 is designed to be used with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 to vary the stream discharged from the nozzle means from a steady stream to any desirable angle of spray; the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 producing only a steady stream discharge. To utilize the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, nozzle 12 is designed to be merely snapped out of recess 16 and nozzle 17, shown in FIG. 12, inserted by means of projection 18 in the place of nozzle 12. Handle 19 is threadably mounted on nozzle 17 by male threads 20 of the nozzle engaging female threads 21 within the hub 22 of handle 19. By rotating handle 19, as shown in FIG. 9, nozzle 17 can be moved from a position of just barely engaging threads 21 to a position of surface 23 of the nozzle contacting surface 24 of hub 22. When surface 23 contacts 24, a steady stream of CS is discharged from the nozzle as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7. The steady stream is produced by the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 12 by the CS being discharged as described above regarding FIGS. 1 to 7,

flowing from ports 25, flowing along channel 26, and being discharged from orifice 27, shown in FIG. 10. As

= handle 19 is turned counterclockwise, as one faces the handle, faces 23 and 24 separate to greater and greater distances to cause a varying angle CS spray to be dis charged as the distance increases; the angle and droplet size of the spray can be designed within the skill of the art to suit each individual application by desirable arrangement of ports 25 in relation to each other and varying the sizes of ports 25 and orifice 27. FIGS. 13 to 15 show another embodiment to be utilized with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 to produce a CS discharge stream which varies from a steady stream to a wide angle spray. FIGS. 13 to 15 embodiment employs a piston means 28 mounted within recess 16 behind nozzle 12; the piston means being fixedly connected to lever means 29 by shaft means 30. Shaft means 30 has one end fixedly connected to the piston means by any conventional means such as welding, threading, etc., and the other end threadably mounted within mount means 31; the mount means being fixedly connected to lever means 29 by any conventional means such as welding. A tight but slidable fit is provided for piston means 28 within recess 16, and lever 29 is inserted through a hole means in depress plate 2, as shown in FIG. 14. Shaft 30 is threadably engaged with projection 31 after it is inserted through the hole means in the depress plate. By moving lever 29 backward and forward, piston means 28 is moved from the fully aft position, as shown in FIG. 14, to a position where surface 32 of the piston means contacts surface 33 of the nozzle means. The CS discharge spray action evolves in the same manner as described above for FIGS. 8 to 12 by discharge through ports 34, along channel 35, and out of orifice 36.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I CLAIM:

1. A method of safety dispensing pressurized fluid from a container having a tubular depressible valve located within the confines of a dispensing head attaching area on said container comprising the steps of:

providing a tubular housing having a nozzle access port in the body thereof, two diametrically opposed safety means engaging notches located on one end thereof, a safety means engaging slot located longitudinally of one notch, and the other end of said housing having a dispensing head attaching area for attachment to said container;

providing a complementary shaped substantially solid cylinder depress plate axially movable in said housing, said plate having a fluid flow passage extending from one end of said plate alignable and engageable with said tubular depressible valve and terminating on a longitudinal portion of said plate in alignment with said access port, said plate having fluid control attachment means located at said longitudinal portion, and the other end of said plate having a pressing surface adapted to receive a slideable strip shaped safety means;

attaching slideably said strip shaped safety means t the said other end of the plate so that the ends of the strip engage a notch and the slot of the housing and a portion of the strip shaped safety means rides zle having a hand control lever is attached to the depress plate by assembling same to the fluid control attachment means and said dispensing step includes the step of adjusting the said lever for controlling the fluid flow.

3. In a process of safely dispensing fluid from a pressurized fluid containing dispenser wherein a dispensing head is used comprising a tubular housing having safety means engaging notches in the exposed end thereof, and wherein relatively moveable in said housing there is disposed a depress plate for providing fluid passage flow to the atmosphere and for pressibly actuating the dispenser valve, the improvement comprising the steps of:

affixing, slideably, to the pressible surface of said depress plate a strip shaped safety means with the end portions thereof in engagement with said notches to lock the depress plate to said housing, whereby upon disengagement of one end of said safety means by sliding movement, the depress plate is unlocked and can be pressed to actuate the dispenser valve; and dispensing fluid from said container by disengaging the said one end of the safety means and actuating the dispenser valve by pressing the depress plate. 

1. A method of safety dispensing pressurized fluid from a container having a tubular depressible valve located within the confines of a dispensing head attaching area on said container comprising the steps of: providing a tubular housing having a nozzle access port in the body thereof, two diametrically opposed safety means engaging notches located on one end thereof, a safety means engaging slot located longitudinally of one notch, and the other end of said housing having a dispensing head attaching area for attachment to said container; providing a complementary shaped substantially solid cylinder depress plate axially movable in said housing, said plate having a fluid flow passage extending from one end of said plate alignable and engageable with said tubular depressible valve and terminating on a longitudinal portion of said plate in alignment with said access port, said plate having fluid control attachment means located at said longitudinal portion, and the other end of said plate having a pressing surface adapted to receive a slideable strip shaped safety means; attaching slideably said strip shaped safety means to the said other end of the plate so that the ends of the strip engage a notch and the slot of the housing and a portion of the strip shaped safety means rides in the other notch to thereby render the dispensing head; attaching the dispensing head on to the said container by relatively engaging the attaching areas thereby aligning tubular depressible valve of the container with the fluid flow passage of the depress plate, and dispensing the fluid from the container by slideably withdrawing the safety means from engagement with the slot and the notch defining means and actuating the valve of the container by pressing the depress plate.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein a fluid control nozzle having a hand control lever is attached to the depress plate by assembling same to the fluid control attachment means and said dispensing step includes the step of adjusting the said lever for controlling the fluid flow.
 3. In a process of safely dispensing fluid from a pressurized fluid containing dispenser wherein a dispensing head is used comprising a tubular housing having safety means engaging notches in the exposed end thereof, and wherein relatively moveable in said housing there is disposed a depress plate for providing fluid passage flow to the atmosphere and for pressibly actuating the dispenser valve, the improvement comprising the steps of: affixing, slideably, to the pressible surface of said depress plate a strip shaped safety means with the end portions thereof in engagement with said notches to lock the depress plate to said housing, whereby upon disengagement of one end of said safety means by sliding movement, the depress plate is unlocked and can be pressed to actuate the dispenser valve; and dispensing fluid from said container by disengaging the said one end of the safety means and actuating the dispenser valve by pressing the depress plate. 